The 67th Glee Hunger Games
by Zampard
Summary: Glee/ Hunger Games Crossover! The characters of Glee Club exist in a world where Hunger Games exist, who will emerge Victor? Who will be good, who will be bad? Find out! T for language, MAY change to M if plots demand it
1. District 12

Chapter 1: District 12

**(A/N): Thanks for taking the time to read! This is the first crossover fanfiction I'm doing and I would really appreciate feedback! I was as original as possible doing this, neither referring to the Hunger Games storyline nor other Glee/Hunger Games crossover fanfictions. Hope you enjoy! Read, Review, Follow! Oh, and I included Ryder (Blake Jenner who won the Glee Project Season 2) in the fic. You'll see if he's a main character or not ;) Most importantly, have fun! **

**P.S: ****I may not be able to post regularly, my major exams are coming soon but I'll definitely post after that! And there will be a time span from 30 Nov to 9 Dec that I will be overseas, so no posting then too!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, nor do I own The Hunger Games. If I did… Hehehe**

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The cool breeze found its way through the streets of District 12, making the District cooler than it usually was. It was the night before the reapings. Before District 12's escort would dip their hand into two bowls and pull out a name from each, before two unfortunate tributes from District 12 would be forced into the Hunger Games to face certain death. As like every year, the teenagers of District 12 roamed the streets, enjoying whatever they could before they would face the possibility of being reaped. No one wanted to spend their (possible) last night in District 12 weeping. They preferred to enjoy whatever they still had. Of course, they made sure not to cause too much of a ruckus and alert the peacekeepers. They could _kill_ whenever and whoever they wanted. Some teens still celebrated grandly though, to the extent of buying a whole loaf of bread from the Mellarks' bakery. As did 4 friends that solemn night.

"So… The 67th Hunger Games already, huh… I still remember watching some scenes from the 2nd Quarter Quell when I was 1 years old… Time sure flies." remarked the only girl in the group, Rachel Berry, in an attempt to start up a conversation. Her usually long, flowing hair was tied into a bun that night, and like every other girl in the District she wore a simple dress. Her big doe eyes stared daggers at the three men in front of her, almost seeming to chide them for not replying her immediately.

"Oh, uh, yeah, Rachel. Sorry for zoning out. I guess we're all just too occupied with the fact that after tomorrow, we will never have to worry about getting reaped again. We are 18 after all. We're free men after tomorrow!" exclaimed Rachel's next-door-neighbour Ryder, until he met the glare in her eyes. "Oh fine, free men _and women_ after tomorrow" he continued with a slight laugh. Ryder was probably the only guy in the group who was willing to snap out of his thoughts to answer Berry, and like every other guy in the District, he wore a checkered shirt tucked into a pair of jeans.

"That ain't true man. We still have to worry about our children in the future, and our grandchildren too." came the pessimistic reply from Azimio. He may have looked like a hardcore troublemaker on the surface, but underneath, he was just another normal, vulnerable boy with weaknesses. Still, make him mad and he'd clobber you.

"Which is why _I've_ decided to be a bachelor in the future!" was the impulsive response from the fourth member in the clique, Noah Puckerman, as a joke. His real name was Noah, but everybody simply called him Puck. He liked it that way as well; he felt 'Puck' was a more badass name. He and Azimio may have had many spats, but in the end they still had a great bromance together. Just like how Ryder and Rachel had a brother – sister relationship.

"Are you serious Puck? You've got to be kidding. How could you live your life not settling down with the one you love? Without marrying each other under the blazing sun, in a beautiful chapel? Without staying with your lover where…" – Rachel's voice droned on as the boys looked at each other and sniggered. She was caught up in one of her fantasies again.

The night continued and consisted of them eating, cracking jokes, and light – heartedly asking Rachel to 'shut up and eat her slice of bread' on occasion. They were great friends, and in the end just wanted to enjoy a great meal together. Just as Ryder finished his last bite, he felt a tiny, gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked to his left to see Rachel looking sorrowfully at him.

"Ryder… What if I get reaped tomorrow? What if one of you guys and I get reaped tomorrow? I don't want to get reaped, when I'm so close to escaping that wretched ceremony, and especially not with you guys. How could any of us kill each other..?" whimpered an insecure Rachel, tears welling up in her brown eyes.

"Hey, hey, don't worry about that Rachel. All four of us never once applied for tesserae, so we have the minimum number of reaping votes. 7, that's all. I heard that there's a boy in the District – John was his name, I think – he has 10 family members including himself, and he applied for tesserae for all of them. He's been extremely lucky for the past 6 years, but tomorrow he'll have 77 reaping votes. So don't worry, the odds are in our favour. It's our last possible reaping," Ryder consoled Rachel, a supportive smile plastered on his face. His words seemed to ignite hope in Rachel, for she began to smile and took her final bite of bread. Puck and Azimio just continued to quietly eat, both secretly also having the same questions in mind as well, in actual fact.

* * *

After a few more light conversations, the troop decided to call it a day and headed home. Rachel Barbara Berry flopped on her bed after having said good night to her dad and daddy, Hiram and Leroy Berry. Both her dads had never been reaped, and she was thankful for that. She didn't know how they would have turned out had they survived the Hunger Games. A fate worse than death? While some victors were fine, Rachel had heard stories of other victors who destroyed their lives after the games; becoming alcoholics, attempting suicide, becoming mentally unstable and the list goes on. She would have hated to see either of her dads in that state. Deciding to get enough beauty sleep for tomorrow, Rachel eventually allowed herself to drift off to sleep.

"Tomorrow," she thought to herself mid-drift.

Noah Puckerman headed straight to his room after the outing. As usual, after tucking his mother into bed and kissing her good night, he simply took off his checkered shirt and jeans and literally pounced on his bed without bathing. Water was scarce in the District and he needed to conserve what little his family had for surviving. Clad in his white singlet and boxers, he let wild thoughts run through his mind. The 67th Hunger Games was tomorrow. Oh, how he hated the games so much. After all, they took his father away in the 58th Hunger Games and made his mother go mad. He still recalled watching it on the TVs at home and school when he was 9 years old, as the peacekeepers had forced everyone in the District to watch it.

His father had made allies with the careers, having impressed them with his brute strength when he scored an 11 during the assessment with sponsors. Or so he thought. Just four days into the games, when it was down to the final 9, they saw him as a weak link and the leader of the careers decapitated him. That scene had replayed in Puck's mind every day at least once since then. Sure, the careers in those games were eventually killed off, and if Puck remembered correctly the girl from district 4 (Hollow Holiday, or something like that) was crowned Victor, but Puck still felt a sense of hatred - towards the Capitol, towards the other districts, towards the games… Towards a lot of things actually. But Rachel was always there to comfort him. She was his best friend, ever since they were 5. She knew him inside out, as did he for her. Puck shuddered at the possibility of being reaped with her.

"If that happens," he mumbled to himself mid-drift of sleeping, "I'd kill everyone until we were the final 2. I'd tell her what a great friend she's been to me. And then I'd kill myself."

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**(A/N): So what do you think? Review and give me feedback, thanks! And if you really like it, share with your friends! By the way, I have another fic, it's an interactive fanfictional Glee Project Competition. Check it out, I would really appreciate it if you contribute contenders as well for me to start the fic competition! Thanks! :D**


	2. Two Names

Chapter 2: Two Names

**(A/N): Thanks for taking the time to read! I really loved the reviews you guys gave me for the first chapter! Continue to review and follow! I'll promise to keep writing! Be sure to check out my other fanfic, the interactive Glee Project, and contribute characters as well. **

**As for Bbarton3, in reply to your review, I have to say it is part of the main plot. SUSPENSE! You'll find out more about it soon when you stick around! (Hint Hint: It has something to do with 'Hollow' Holiday xD)**

**Shout outs to magda, Princesakarlita411, Bbarton3, GRITS girls raised in south and oliigleegirl1124 for the reviews! **

**P.S: ****I still may not be able to post regularly; my major exams are really close. I'll definitely post after that! And I'm going to try to make the chapters longer as well. The first one was super short!**

**REPEAT: There will be a time span from 30 Nov to 9 Dec that I will be overseas, so no posting then!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, nor do I own The Hunger Games. If I did, things would change. Believe me, they would. **

The night passed by quickly for the youth of District 12. Too fast perhaps for Azimio, because when he woke up to the sound of the trumpets, he punched his pillow so hard that the casing ripped open. His nerves were starting to kick in, and that was NOT what he'd expected. Maybe it was because he'd be safe after these reapings, because he'd no longer have the chance to be thrown into the Games anymore? Whatever it was, he painfully tore himself away from his bed, before the Peacekeepers did that for him. Everyone in the District knew that if you weren't awake 1 minute after the trumpets sounded, which signified Reaping Day, the Peacekeepers would wake you up. Not by bringing you breakfast in bed though, but maybe by bringing you coffee. Hot coffee. Without a tray. And with no sense of balance. So to avoid getting disfigured or broken bones, everyone would wake up on time. Azimio quickly rushed to get his morning chores done, not wanting to be late and consequently tortured by the Peacekeepers.

At the same time, in the Berry Household, Rachel Berry was already clad in a simple white dress with three silver lines that ran down the side, waiting for her dads even before the trumpets had been sounded. _This is it,_ she thought to herself. _I can be free after this. Just keep yourself calm Rachel, remember what Ryder told you._ Rachel hadn't had much sleep the previous night, mostly because she woke up at 3.58am in the morning to decide what dress to wear on such an occasion. She wanted to ensure that she looked good, since the whole District would be at the ceremony. Well, she's Rachel Berry, what else would you expect? When her dads finally walked out of their room, dressed in shirts as well, they immediately hugged Rachel.

"It's the last day, Princess. You'll be fine. Relax, alright?" smiled Leroy Berry, looking straight into her eyes. Rachel gave a nod and a demure smile in response, not wanting to oppose and say that she was actually starting to panic inside. Despite Ryder's words, she still felt a little worried. Well, who wouldn't be? It was Reaping Day after all, and it was still possible for her to be reaped.

"The odds will be in your favour, Rachel Shining Star Barbara Berry." reminded Hiram Berry. With that, the trio left the house to meet up with Ryder and his family.

And finally, right in the middle of District 12, Puck woke up just a few seconds before the trumpets sounded. _Oh fuck, _he thought to himself. He grabbed his jeans and shirt, made a mad dash to put them on without even bothering to bathe and rushed to his mother. But it was too late. The trumpets had sounded.

"NOAH?! NOAH! WHERE ARE YOU? NOAH! NO! THE TRUMPETS! NOAH!" came the anguished screams from his mother.

"Mum! It's fine, I'm here... Calm down… Relax… It'll be all right. Okay?" Puck attempted to soothe his mother as soon as he rushed to her side on the bed, as she cried into his chest. He sighed at the predicament he was faced with. His mother had already gone mad because his father had been killed. Of course her condition would be much more severe on Reaping Day when her only son, her only family member left, was at risk of being reaped as well. "It's my last day of possibly being reaped. I'll make it through this. _We'll_ make it through this. Alright?" he asked, holding her hand firmly, looking into her eyes with a steely look. Taking her slight nod between sniffles as approval, he carried her to the bathroom to allow her to get ready.

"We're going to be late, so like we do at night, don't bathe and just change, okay?" Puck reminded her gently. As soon as he set her down and knew she was feeling better, he waited beside the wooden, worn down door of the house. After she'd changed as well and met him at the door, they headed off. Puck could only think about his mother as they headed to the reaping area. She used to be so cheerful, radiant and happy. But then _he _had died, and she began to suffer from depression and random outbursts. Puck sighed as he tightened his grip on his mother's hand and continued walking.

It was just a two minute walk, and before he knew it Puck found himself at the reaping venue. Giving his mother a final, determined nod and a light kiss on her cheek, he let go of her hand and vanished into the crowd to get his injection taken. His mother knew the drill well by now and Puck was sure she would be fine. After he had the injection taken, he ambled over to the guys' section of the crowd in front of the stage. Glancing behind him, he then caught a glimpse of Ryder with Rachel. Rachel's dads must have already proceeded to the third section of the crowd – the group of people who were not eligible to be reaped. They were probably beside Puck's mother, as they were every year to support her in case. Puck watched as Rachel and Ryder both had their injections taken, and then waved frantically to Ryder to get his attention. It wasn't in vain, for Ryder spotted him. After giving Rachel a few more words – words of encouragement and comfort, Puck guessed – Ryder headed over to Puck while Rachel made her way to the girls' section.

"Hey, man. You ready for this?" Puck asked, a slight smile on his face.

"Yeah, I guess. I've been pep – talking Rachel for the past 15 minutes now. Guess I should be super ready myself," answered Ryder. "How about you?"

Puck was about to answer when suddenly a loud bang echoed throughout the district. It was _the_ gunshot, the one that signified the start of the reapings. He quickly scanned the crowds, after having realised that Azimio still hadn't met up with him. Thankfully, he found him about five rows in front. _So he didn't oversleep. Thank god, that fat ass buffalo, _Puck thought to himself.

A deep silence followed as the district's escort, Berdenta Trufinane, then walked up on stage. Nobody moved a muscle after that – they knew that even a slight cough would be regarded as disrespect to the Capitol by the Peacekeepers. As usual, Berdenta was dressed like a freak, resembling everyone else in the Capitol. She wore a gaudy orange dress along with stilettos, her hair was dyed green with orange highlights, her face was abused by what appeared to be five bottles of white powder and she had a diamond – encrusted bracelet on her wrist.

"Welcome, District 12, to the Reaping Venue for tributes who will partake in the 67th Hunger Games! In case you haven't been informed, I am District 12's escort, Berdenta Trufinane. As you all know…" her voice droned on and on as she continued to highlight all the achievements of the Capitol and emphasise on how the Districts were nothing compared to it. Once her sermon was complete, the Capitol's anthem started to play as a video began to roll. Oh, the video. Everyone in the District probably had it memorised already. It was about how District 13 had rebelled against the Capitol, and how they were inevitably destroyed – It emphasised on the reason as to why the Hunger Games is carried out annually. And then, after what seemed like hours, the ten minute video was over. And all the boys and girls in the District who were aged 12 to 18 started to panic. It was time.

"All righty then, it's time!" Berdenta announced happily, her eyes lighting up as if she herself was bored before. She walked over to the girls' bowl, where inside lay the names of all the girls in the District aged 12 to 18. "Ladies first," she sub – consciously said, looking at the bowl as if she were a little child on Christmas morning.

Finally, she dipped her hand in the bowl.

She rummaged through all the votes there were.

She picked one.

No, she suddenly set it back down. Somebody had been saved.

She reached deeper into the bowl.

And she finally fished out a reaping vote that seemed to cling to the side of the bowl.

She pulled it open and then smiled at the vote as if she knew it were the right choice.

And then two words slipped from her mouth.

The first was a first name.

The second was a last name.

"Rachel Berry."

As those two consecutive words echoed from her mouth, a gasp elicited from the crowd. Puck looked on in horror as Rachel, mortified, stood rooted to the spot. Ryder was shocked beyond words and a bewildered look took over his face. He couldn't do anything and neither could Puck nor Azimio. All three just watched Rachel as she choked back tears – everyone was watching, and soon the whole of Panem would too. The boys could hear Leroy and Hiram Berry desperately shouting for a girl to volunteer in place, but the shouts died down after a while. _They were probably asked to 'shut up' by the peacekeepers_, Puck thought. It was lucky they did, if not… Puck shuddered at what might have befallen them. Puck wanted to shout at Berdenta, Ryder wanted to kick her, Azimio wanted to punch her– but all three held back their emotions, not daring to step out of line. They were helpless as Rachel, on the surface, confidently walked up on stage, a wide smile plastered on her face.

_Wow, her acting is really good._ Puck thought to himself. She even let her hand rest on her hip while smiling, making her look really confident. She was obviously hoping to attract the attention of potential sponsors already. Puck couldn't help but feel a little happy. _Even in times of crisis, she keeps calm and thinks ahead. Amazing._

"Well hello there, Rachel! Now give me a second, it's the boys' turn," an enthusiastic and chirpy Berdenta exclaimed, already very obviously excited for the Games. Rachel gave a slight nod, and then continued to look confident in front of the cameras. But inside, she was being torn apart. This was what she had been dreading. Why her? Out of all people? It was then that she caught sight of her fathers, crying into each other beside Puck's mother, who tried to calm them down. Just seeing that made her want to burst into tears._ NO, RACHEL BERRY. STAY STRONG. YOU CAN DO THIS._ She reminded herself. She wanted, no – needed, to stay alive. And she needed sponsors for that.

"Alright… Boys…" Berdenta murmured to herself, but everyone in the District heard it.

Her hand lowered into the second bowl.

She moved her hand around the votes.

She seemed to take much longer than for the girls.

And finally, she took one vote out.

"Well, this name looks like it belongs to a formidable man!" exclaimed Berdenta.

Puck, Ryder and Azimio stiffened. Who would it be?

"The male tribute representing District 12 is…"

1 second.

2 seconds.

3 seconds.

4.

A suspenseful pause.

"Noah Puckerman."

**(A/N): So what do you think? Review and give me feedback, thanks! And if you really like it, share with your friends! Also, in case you've forgotten, check out my other fic! It's an interactive fanfictional Glee Project Competition. I would really appreciate it if you contribute contenders as well for me to start the fic! Thanks! :D**

**P.S: I decided to include a little challenge for you guys! Starting from this chapter and onwards, each chapter will have at least one Glee/ Glee Project reference. Try to spot them! I'll also try to sneak in some song lyrics as well, so tell me in the reviews if you find any! **


	3. Goodbye

Chapter 3: Goodbye

**(A/N): Thanks for taking the time to read and review! Continue to do so, and follow if you haven't done so! Be sure to check out my other fanfic, the interactive Glee Project, and contribute characters as well. **** x)**

**I made this chapter slightly longer than before. Hope it satisfies!**

**REPEAT: There will be a time span from 30 Nov to 9 Dec that I will be overseas, so no posting then! 15 October to 15 November will also have no chapter updates at all. My extremely important exams are in that time frame! Other times, I promise you guys I will post regularly **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, nor do I own The Hunger Games. **

"Noah Puckerman."

As if his world hadn't just crashed down before him, Puck simply looked ahead, in a daze, unable to digest what he had just heard. WHAT THE FUCK, he finally thought to himself after 2 seconds. First Rachel, second him? The odds were totally against his group of friends. From where he stared, he could see Rachel's eyes widening in horror after hearing the name called. How could either one of them kill the other? Finally Puck understood how fucked up the games were. And right on cue, a harrowing scream pierced the silence. Puck's neck shot up, realizing who the scream belonged to.

"NOAH! NO! DON'T GO UP THERE! I VOLUNTEER!" came the futile shouts from Puck's mother.

"Mum..." he silently thought to himself. Although he couldn't see it, he could already visualize her being brought aside by the Peacekeepers. After all, the shouts had all but continued. And that was when Puck realized he hadn't moved in 10 seconds. Shit, he was going to look weak. He didn't like it, but following Rachel, he decided to up the ante. Turning to look at Ryder behind him and Azimio in front of him one last time, who both gave him the 'We need to fucking talk later at the Justice Building' look, he confidently swaggered his way up on stage and smiled at Rachel, who following his lead smiled and nodded back. They gave each other a fist bump, making them seem so confident it seemed to scare Berdenta.

"Well, there you have it, District 12! Your tributes for the Hunger Games have confidently presented themselves to you! With that, the reapings for the 67th Hunger Games are over!" exclaimed an excited Berdenta. With that, Puck and Rachel were whisked away into the Justice Building. Both were put into the same room, to Puck's surprise. He had always thought they would be in different rooms. The room they were in was simply decorated, with only a cheese – like lamp illuminating the room. That definitely caught Puck's attention. How often did you see a cheese lamp?

As soon as the Peacekeepers left, telling them that their close ones would arrive soon, Puck and Rachel hugged each other as if tomorrow would be the day they died. _Well, it might be in a few weeks' time_, Puck thought to himself, before snapping out of it and embracing Rachel even tighter.

"Puck… Puck… This is what I was talking about! How can we even make it through this? I can't kill you… I won't ever! We're doomed, Puck… We're as good as dead!" Rachel cried, the floodgates in her eyes opening as she burrowed her head into his chest. She was completely different from the Rachel who was on stage 5 minutes ago.

"It's okay, Rach… We'll get through this. Somehow. It'll be okay, shh, don't cry," Puck tried to pacify Rachel, stroking his hands through her now long, wavy, un-bunned hair. But it was no use. Deep inside him, he knew they were screwed. Well, at least one of them was for sure.

They must have stayed in the same position for at least 5 minutes, contemplating their fates, before the door to the room barged open and 3 familiar faces rushed inside.

"Dad… Daddy!" Rachel exclaimed, tears flowing down her face. Hiram and Leroy immediately ran to their only daughter and hugged her, soothing her with sweet nothings.

"Mum…" murmured a nervous Puck. Before he knew it, his mother too was hugging him dearly. What surprised Puck was that she wasn't hysterical by this point, even though her only remaining loved one was about to be sent to certain death. She then tore away from the hug, and wiping a few tears away, looked Puck straight in the eye.

"Noah. I know you can do this. Your father… He didn't win because he made a wrong choice in allies. The careers are deadly, scheming and manipulative. Don't ever team up with them. Team up with Rachel here instead, and some other tributes who are strong yet generous as well. That will get you far," advised Puck's mother, gesturing towards Rachel.

Puck looked at his mother, thankful. "Mum… Thank you for staying strong."

"It's my duty, boy! I won't be going crazy anytime soon – I can see the strength within you. You can do this. I know you will," was her instant reply. Deep inside, she herself was wondering when her sanity had come back to her as well. She then motioned for Rachel to come closer, and after she did, continued to advise them with little tips.

"Remember to always find a source of water when you get into the arena. Majority of tributes die because of dehydration," was her first one.

"And make sure the water is pure and drinkable! Careers always find the start of a river and poison it, so that anyone who drinks the water that flows down the river dies," chipped in Hiram. "Remember the 63rd Hunger Games?"

Puck and Rachel both nodded. The careers in the 63rd Hunger Games had poisoned all water resources possibly available in the arena, and had wiped out _11_ tributes because of it. It was such a manipulative trick.

"Oh, and make sure to be careful of the arena itself! The arena is bound to have lots of traps. We might not know what the arena is going to be for the 67th Hunger Games, but figure out the pattern for arena traps as soon as you can!" Leroy cautioned.

"One last thing," Puck's mother continued. "Find out your area of specialty. Be it archery, sword – wielding, medicine – making, whatever. Hone it, and use that skill wisely. It will be your greatest ally."

"Alright, time is up, the next batch of visitors needs to arrive!" shouted a Peacekeeper who stormed in.

"I love you," was all they could say to each other after some final hugs and kisses before being pried away. Right then, Ryder and Azimio walked into the room, and the door shut behind them.

"Ryder! Azimio!" Rachel cried and flew into their arms. Puck looked on in sorrow before joining in the hug as well. After pulling apart to look at each other, Puck noticed tears streaming down Ryder's face. He was super close to Rachel, and Puck knew it. The sister Ryder never had was about to face 22 other brutal killers, of course he would be crying.

"Puck, I need to talk to you. Could you come over here for a sec?" he asked Puck, who complied.

As Rachel was comforted by Azimio, Ryder pulled Puck to the other side of the room before speaking. "Puck, I need you to keep Rachel safe. _Please,_ Puck." He was on the verge of breaking down.

"Ryder, calm down, I will do my best. Trust me."

Silence.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Erm… Sure, what is it?" Puck replied, a little confused with Ryder's odd choice of time to share a secret.

"This may be the only time anyone can tell you this. So here goes." Ryder turned around, making sure Rachel wasn't listening.

"Yeah?"

"_She loves you."_

Another silence, but this one was shorter.

"What?" finally came the blank reply from Puck.

"You heard me. And I'm not going to say it again. If you are in the final 2 with her, do _not _commit suicide, Puck. She'll probably go crazy, because she's been in love with you for _that freaking long_, ever since we were all 12 years old. She told me about all this recently though. I can't watch her go crazy because of your death, man. She really cares for you deeply, she loves you. Don't do anything dumb. I don't want to see you die either."

Puck couldn't believe his ears. Rachel Berry, one of the most amazing, beautiful girls he'd ever met, had a crush on _him? _The lousy, clumsy guy? It took Puck a few seconds before a pressing question came up in his mind.

"Ryder, don't worry, I won't tell Rachel you told me about this. I'll keep it a secret, and I'll try not to be bothered too much about her liking me. I just have one question for you."

"What is it?"

"Then what _do_ we do if we do become the final two?"

A third silence then overcame the room, apart from the noise Azimio made. He continued to tell Rachel about some battle strategies he'd learned from survival games he played outdoors with Ryder and Puck when young.

"I… I don't know." Ryder finally replied.

"One more thing… I don't love her, in _that_ kind of sense. And you know that, don't you?" Puck asked, his eyes actually starting to tear up for the first time that day.

"Shelby, right?" were the only words that escaped from Ryder's throat.

"Yeah," Puck managed to reply, head tilted down slightly.

Shelby Corcoran was Puck's 30 year old neighbour and a Victor of the 55th Hunger Games, during which she was 18 years old. She used much of her knowledge of poison to her advantage and had actually won the games. The first and only victor from District 12, she from then onwards became a mentor for the tributes that followed the 55th Hunger Games – including Puck's father. Puck had to agree with the fact that next to himself and his mother, Shelby was the most affected by his death. Being his neighbour, she was really close to him. Knowing that she could have warned him about how manipulative the careers were had made her guilt – ridden ever since he died. She could have told him not to ally with them.

Puck became really close to Shelby ever since his father passed away. They were always there for each other. It was only a few years later, when Puck was about 16, when he realised his feelings for Shelby were more than he'd expected. Her maturity, kindness and smoking hot body (In Puck's view) always had him mesmerised – to a point that he began to develop feelings for her. He never told her his true feelings – not that he planned on it, anyway. He was way too young for her. And he knew that in a few minutes' time as well, he'd have to learn survival tactics from his crush, on a train to the Capitol.

How romantic. Puck wondered how she would feel about him being in the Games.

Before Ryder could continue speaking, a Peacekeeper opened the door out of the blue.

"1 minute left!" he firmly announced, and shut the door. Not wanting to waste any more time, Ryder then headed straight to Rachel, and Azimio went to give Puck a big bro – hug. Ryder and Azimio then comforted and shared as much battle tips as they could with Rachel and Puck respectively before a burly Peacekeeper slammed the door open again, for the final time.

"Time's up!" he shouted, marching in.

"We love you guys! You'll make it through this, don't worry!" Ryder and Azimio hurriedly exclaimed to Puck and Rachel together before being escorted outside themselves. Puck sighed. He didn't want to know how they would react if they saw him on TV being killed. It was just awful. Just then, Berdenta appeared at the corridor, noticing Rachel's tear stained face and Puck's sorrowful expressions.

"What's wrong, guys? Come on, put up the brave fronts like you did at the reapings!" she exclaimed in an unusually high – pitched voice. "That'll be the key to getting sponsors. So keep it up! Anyway, I digress. The train is here, and we have to leave now. Let's go!"

With that, Puck and Rachel obediently stood up and followed Berdenta to the train. Scanning District 12 for a final time, Puck and Rachel then boarded the train and sat down on opposite sides of a table. Looking out of a window, the District began to slowly slip from their view as the train moved. Rachel placed one of her tiny hands on the window and sighed. Puck gulped at the same time, hoping his mother would continue to stay strong. They were getting further and further away from home, to be sent to a place full of mad people and eventually an arena where they'd have to fight to the death. Life really sucked.

_This is it, _they thought to themselves. _The start of the 67__th__ Annual Hunger Games of Panem. _The train then zoomed away from the railway station of District 12, carrying along the two tributes from District 12: Noah Puckerman and Rachel Berry.

As the train travelled further and further away from District 12, a random piece of paper then fluttered across the railway station, floating with the breeze. It finally landed on the tracks of the station, lodged between two metal pieces in the tracks. And that was where it would stay, until the end of the 67th Annual Hunger Games.

Until the end of the 67th Annual Hunger Games.

**(A/N): How was this chapter? Review and give me feedback, thanks! And once again, if you really like it, share with your friends! **

**Also, in case you've forgotten, check out my other fic! It's an interactive fanfictional Glee Project Competition. I would really appreciate it if you contribute contenders as well for me to start the fic! Thanks! :D**

**P.S: I managed to include a Glee Project reference, but no song lyrics this chapter. Tell me in the reviews if you found the Glee Project reference! **


	4. The Start Of Something New

Chapter 4: The Start Of Something New

**(A/N): I am so sorry for the late update! My majors are really really close, so don't expect updates any time soon either But trust me, after 15 November I will update as much as I can! Thanks for taking the time to read and review! Continue to do so, and follow if you haven't done so! Be sure to check out my other fanfic, the interactive Glee Project, and contribute characters as well :D x)**

**I made this chapter much much longer than before, due to my lonnnngggg absence. Take it as an apology for my late update! Hope it satisfies!**

**REPEAT: There will be a time span from 30 Nov to 9 Dec that I will be overseas, so no posting then! 15 October to 15 November will also have no chapter updates at all. My extremely important exams are in that time frame! Other times, I promise you guys I will post regularly :)**

**Oh, and to all the reviewers (surprisingly mainly guests) who keep asking for a Puckleberry story, chill and relax! This is a Puckleberry story! So sit back and enjoy the twists and turns of the plot! After all, one of the genres for this fic is romance, and the 2 main characters are Puck and Rachel! Now I won't reveal any more :) **

**Lastly, shout outs to Princesakarlita411 once again (And by the way Shelby is not Rachel's bio mum in this fic :B), thelookonyourface, Anouki90 and the guests for the reviews! Keep them coming!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, nor do I own The Hunger Games. D:**

How many minutes had passed since the train set off? Ten? Twenty? Puck couldn't care less. He was on his way to the Capitol to face a fate even worse than death – having to fight in the Hunger Games. Puck already started to miss District 12. His friends, his mother, basically everything. But truly the thought of being away from his mum and being so far away from home really took a toll on him._ I'm just so far from where you are, I wanna go home! _Puck screamed in his head, thinking only of his mum.

Sighing, he turned to look at Rachel. His gaze fixated at her, and he watched her every movement. From the quiet sobs to the insecure movements, he saw and heard everything. It was only after a minute or so that he realised he had been staring for _way _too long. Quickly averting his gaze, he looked at the mountains and hills that flashed by him out the window.

"I know you've been watching me," Rachel suddenly said in a quiet voice, giggling slightly when she saw the 'Oh my god you did?' face on Puck.

"Well, there's nothing better to look at here," Puck replied with a smirk.

"I take that as a compliment."

"You should, Rach. After all, you rarely receive compliments, right?" was Puck's spontaneous, light – hearted reply that made Rachel smile with glee.

"Oh, shut it, _Noah_." Rachel jokingly told him, adding stress to the name 'Noah'.

"Don't call me Noah, Berry! It's so uncool."

"That's why it fits you so damn well!" Rachel exclaimed, chuckling with a slight snort that made Puck laugh as well.

"Berry, Berry, Berry… Tsk tsk," was all Puck said before shifting his weight to face the window again.

Rachel followed suit, and an awkward silence followed after that. Both were completely absorbed in their own thoughts until the shrill sound of a whistle jolted them out of their thoughts just 30 seconds later. Snapping their heads up, they looked on in confusion as Berdenta stepped into the room they were in from her own.

Wait, had she already changed out of her clothes? In less than 30 minutes? How the heck was it even possible? Clad in a purple gown and a silver string that ran across her waist, she smiled at them like the Cheshire Cat. Her hair had been braided, and – wait wait wait, hold up, did her hair colour just change? Why was it a deep hue of blue now? So many questions like these raced through Rachel's mind as Berdenta took a seat next to her. Puck, on the other hand, just waved sarcastically and didn't even seem to notice her drastic change in appearance. Probably too focused on his fate, Rachel guessed, a slight pout forming on her face.

"Well hello, my dearies! Is the anticipation just killing you guys?" she asked, eyes glistening.

"No, someone else will soon," Rachel replied, making Berdenta frown a little.

"Well anyway, I forgot to mention that your mentor for the games, Shelby, is in the train with us. She'll be joining us in a little while to give some pointers and tips! So be ready to listen and learn!" she exclaimed.

And for the first time ever, Rachel and Puck actually paid attention to what Berdenta said. While Rachel focused on the fact that she was going to get survival tips, Puck however was more concerned that Shelby would be joining them soon. So she must have heard the news that he was in the Games. Would she be devastated? Maybe even scared? Whatever it was, he continued to mindlessly listen while Berdenta reminded that about stuff they already knew.

"… And that's point number 8. Oh, and make sure to always eat twice a day, it builds up your-"

Berdenta's incessant noise pollution was abruptly cut off by the sound of a door opening. All three heads turned to look at the door to see Shelby Corcoran enter. Puck immediately stiffened at the sight of her. She wore a simple white dress, and her jet – black, wavy hair was let down. He gave a little smile when Shelby looked at him, only to be given a frown in return.

"Berdenta, would you mind if I talk to Noah over there for a second?" Shelby asked in a mellifluous, high – pitched voice. Puck gave a disapproving look as he heard the name Noah.

"Sure thing!" was Berdenta's reply, and Puck immediately sprang out of his chair, eager to get away from both Berdenta and her noise pollution.

"What's up?" Puck asked, trying to maintain a semblance of calm as Shelby ushered him into another room. It was dimly lit and there was a small bed in the middle.

"Puck… I… Well…"

Puck smiled slightly as she started using his preferred name. "It's okay, I understand. I'm coping pretty well with being reaped, considering I haven't even attempted suicide yet."

"Stop it, don't scare me like that! I just… You know what happened to your father. I don't want the same thing happening to you! You're like my own child Puck; I don't ever want to see anything bad happen to you!"

Puck groaned inwardly. Shelby was totally oblivious to his feelings for her – she just child-zoned him, if that was even possible. And it pained his heart just to hear about his father. Dammit, why did he have to be reaped? He wasn't even 12 to 18! Just because it was Panem's 100th birthday, the Capitol's President, President Figgins, had decided that anyone in the District, as long as they were above 12, could be reaped.

"Well then I guess you're going to have to train me well," Puck grinned. He had no idea when his optimism started to kick in, he was never one to look on the positive side of stuff. Maybe it was because it was Shelby he was talking to?

"Even still… What about…"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," was Puck's swift reply to Shelby's concern. He knew what she was going to ask about. Rachel. Giving a slight nod, Shelby ushered Puck back into the room he was in previously, following closely behind. Shutting the door behind them, they then sat beside each other, opposite to Rachel and Berdenta, who was emphasising to Rachel the importance of a weapon. _You don't say._

"Well now, since everyone is here, I guess we can start. Shelby," Berdenta began, signalling to Shelby.

"Right… Well, first of all, I've got a few pointers for you guys. Take note of these. First of all, water sources are vital for you guys to survive. So make sure a lack of water doesn't kill you."

Both Rachel and Puck nodded in unison, remembering what their parents had told them earlier about drinking only safe water, and figuring out the arena patterns.

"Next… Check out the competition. Know your enemies. Know your friends. Please… Ally with the right tributes." A slight sense of discomfort in the tone of her voice went unnoticed by Rachel and Berdenta but not by Puck. He knew when she was uncomfortable.

"Make alliances with tributes that will not only help you, but be of use to you two. In my opinion, I think that you two should actually ally with more people. This way, your chances of survival when in a group battle against careers would increase ten folds! Just be careful as to who you befriend. You may never know their true intentions. And do bear in mind that your group members will eventually have to fight each other as the numbers decrease, so no revealing of your weaknesses."

A mental note was added right then to Rachel and Puck's minds. That might come in handy.

"Now, I want you guys to think about some stuff. Will you ally with each other?"

Rachel and Puck looked at each other. No words were needed, they knew what they wanted. "Of course," Puck smiled, as did Rachel. "We'll stay together till the end."

But the look on Shelby's face seemed dubious. "And then? What happens when it's just you two left? You can't be in the arena forever." Shelby's tone was harsh and straightforward.

"But…"

"This is why you need to really think about being an alliance. Would you want to fight each other to the death? Why do you think most tributes don't ally with their District partners? And even if they do, they're either not close with each other and don't mind killing each other later, or they're careers. You guys aren't careers. Neither are you guys strangers to each other. So I'll leave you guys to think about that later," Shelby lectured in a lighter tone. Puck sighed. This wasn't going to be easy at all.

"Never mind that… Here's what's next. What image are you going to portray to the public?" was Shelby's next question.

"Huh?" the blur-block that was Puck asked, not understanding her question.

"What I mean is, will you be known to the public as 'The Brave Guy' or 'The Strategic Girl' or anything of the matter? Do bear in mind that you both acted very confident in front of the cameras during the reapings, so no using the Cassandra July strategy." Shelby answered, clarifying his doubt.

"What's the Cassandra July strategy?" Rachel inquired curiously.

Shelby turned to her and continued. "July was a 14 year old tribute who was reaped for the 53rd Hunger Games. She maintained a timid, cowardly image in front of everyone and made it seem like she was the weakest. She even scored a 2 for the assessment with sponsors, the lowest ever recorded. She also had the lowest odds to win, 4017/1! But when the Games started… She turned into a cold hearted, vicious killing machine. She just went into a rampage, showing expertise with bows and arrows, and wiped out most of the tributes in just 4 days! Her deception and cunning totally caused her to win those Games."

"I've heard about those Games… Quite a while back," Puck nodded.

"So, you guys will have to think about what image you'll reflect during your interview with Caesar Flickerman. Will you be courageous? Or confident? Maybe even strategic? It's up to you, but I'd say go for the one you can best associate with. That way you'll be able to answer Caesar's questions swiftly and well. That'll attract sponsors."

Puck shortlisted two in his mind already: The 'dumb but strong' one and the 'hider'. Oh yeah, he could definitely associate to both. Rachel thought about one that she wanted to use since she boarded the train – The 'mysterious' one. She thought she could seem mysterious in front of the public, as if she had another side to her that they'd have to wait to find out about.

"Any ideas?" Berdenta asked after a silence of 10 seconds.

"I think I'll go with the 'brutal close combat one'," Puck responded.

"I'll go with being mysterious," Rachel contributed as well, a smile forming on her face as she thought about the smart choice she made.

"Alright, those sound good!" Shelby gave an approving look. "Right… We'll be reaching the Capitol in about 45 minutes. In the meantime…"

Shelby then rushed into her room and back out, carrying out a TV set and CD. "I want you guys to learn about the competition." She said, settling the TV down on the table. "We may not know who the tributes are yet… But we know who the mentors are. Each District can only have one mentor to support them, and they've already registered their names with the Capitol. I am one of them, and because I'm from District 12 I got to see all the mentors' names above mine when I went to register my name. Needless to say, I've researched about all of them and compiled their strategies and highlights during the Games into this CD," she coyly smiled, waving the CD in her hand.

"It's about 30 minutes in length. Observe," she reminded Rachel and Puck before slipping the CD into the TV compartment.

First up was District 1's oldest mentor, Sue Sylvester, who volunteered for the 34th Hunger Games. She was vicious from the start, scaring Rachel. She had made that fact about herself very clear from her interview, where she stated she would avenge her older, Down's syndrome sister Jean, who was killed at the Cornucopia during the 33rd Hunger Games. Being a career, she seemed to enjoy killing the other tributes with her expert use of throwing knives. Rachel shuddered as she watched the same young blonde drive a knife straight through a female tribute's abdomen, making it protrude out from the other side. _Gore to the max, gosh._

Next was Roz Washington, the youngest mentor from District 2. She was also as vicious as Sue, and competed in the 63rd Hunger Games. _Yep, she's definitely the career tribute that was responsible for poisoning all available water sources in the arena,_ Puck and Rachel recalled. Sneaky.

District 3's mentor who was reaped for the 60th Hunger Games seemed like a pushover, her name being April Rhodes. She just hid in the bushes and treetops until she was in the final 2, and accidentally stabbed her final opponent (a career) when she threw her only weapon, a knife, into the air in fear when she saw him approaching her. Of course it would land smack in the middle of his throat when he looked up to the sky.

Then Puck gasped. It was District 4's mentor. Holly Holiday. _THAT'S HER,_ he thought to himself in alarm. _THE ONE WHO WON THE 58__th__ HUNGER GAMES IN WHICH DAD DIED. _Puck looked on, completely absorbed, as she vanquished foe after foe. Puck couldn't help but smile a little as he watched young , 19 year old Holly burn his father's 30 year old murderer in a trap. He totally deserved it. But what Puck hadn't noticed at that time was the anger Holly had for that tribute. Anger that Puck didn't know was caused because of his father's death. But he'd find out soon enough. He silently thanked Holly in his mind, unaware that Shelby was watching his every move as the CD showcased Holly's abilities. Rachel simply looked on, engrossed in learning new tactics.

District 5 and 6's mentors, Artie Abrams and Shannon Beiste respectively, weren't anything special to Rachel and Puck. Artie had competed in the 65th Hunger Games, just 2 years back, and was already chosen to be mentor as the other last remaining mentor from District 5 had died due to old age. Artie won his games by using the arena traps to his advantage, making his final opponent from District 7 fall into a ditch that was soon flooded with water. Beiste was reaped for the 48th Hunger Games, and simply relied on her brute strength to coast her way through. _A smart choice,_ Rachel thought to herself, before looking at her tiny stature and realising just how fragile she was.

District 7's Cassandra July, as mentioned by Shelby earlier, was reaped for the 53rd Hunger Games. Puck and Rachel couldn't help but look on in awe as Cassandra maintained such a cowardly behaviour. How on Earth could she even manage that? The moment the games started, she took control of the Cornucopia, even managing to kill 3 career tributes! Rachel shuddered at her malice while Puck simply grunted.

As they continued to watch, Puck and Rachel didn't seem to notice anything special about District 8, 9 or 10's mentors that made them stand out. Sandy Ryerson from District 8 was reaped for the 45th Hunger Games, Carl Howell from District 9 was reaped for the 56th Hunger Games, and Emma Pillsbury from District 10 was reaped for the 51st Hunger Games. All three had won their Games by hiding – except for when District 9's Carl came out of hiding and eliminated the rest of the competition by himself, single – handedly, when it was down to the final 7. Emma and Sandy simply hid until the arena killed off the other remaining tributes. Lady Luck must have been smiling down on them for them to even be able to survive the Games.

Finally, District 11's mentor caught Rachel's attention. His name was Will Schuester, and he was reaped for the 46th Hunger Games. He seemed to be a kind hearted, good willed man. Apparently his strategy to success was forming alliances, something Puck and Rachel had been pondering about doing as well. Rachel looked on in sympathy as Will bawled beside his District partner just after she died. _Shelby must have purposely added this in_, Puck thought to himself, _to let us know that having alliances isn't always going to be easy. _

Rachel smiled as she watched Will take on his last opponent. He was such a kind soul that he wouldn't even finish off his last obstacle, even the one that had killed his District partner. Instead, he indirectly killed him by pushing him into a mud – filled area near the spawn point for muttations. While Rachel had found that a sign of kindness, Puck instead viewed it as weakness. If it were him, he would have clobbered that last guy. _No one would get away if they hurt Rachel, _Puck thought to himself. He knew it himself, Rachel was just a ball of joy to have around. Even just a day without her would be like a year without rain.

Finally, the video came to an end. "Did you guys get any valuable information…?" Shelby asked, looking at the two teenagers inquisitively.

"Sure did!"

"Got lots of thinking to do."

"Great! Well then, we're approaching the Capitol in 5 minutes. Think about strategies and alliances, okay? I'm going back to my room first, see you in 5!" was Shelby's parting words before heading back to her room.

"Same here, I'll need to freshen up!" Berdenta squealed in delight. "My home city, y'know?!"

Puck and Rachel both groaned in response. She was so thick skinned. Finally, once Shelby and Berdenta were completely out of sight, Rachel and Puck locked eyes. They shared a look of confidence, a look of fear and a look of reassurance at the same time. And it was only just the start. The start of something new.

**So how was this chapter? Review and give me feedback, thanks! If you really like it, share with your friends! :D**

**Oh and check out my other fic as well, in case you haven't! It's an interactive fanfictional Glee Project Competition. I would really appreciate it if you contribute contenders as well for me to start the fic! **

**Also, I included song lyrics from 3 different songs in this chapter! Tell me if you spotted them! :D**


	5. One Question

Chapter 5: One Question

**(A/N): HEY GUYS, I'M BAC****K! Just as promised!**** Sorry I couldn't update before going overseas, though, I had no time :( And I'm super sorry for taking so long! I was just so busy haha. I plan to update weekly from now on though! x) Anyway, I made this chapter extra-long as an apology for making you guys wait! :) THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF PUCKLEBERRY! :D**

**Many thanks to theatergirl129, BellaRose55 and mrstubbington (I REPEAT AGAIN, Shelby is ****NOT**** Rachel's bio mum in this fic) for the wonderful reviews! Keep them coming! And yep, AlphaWriter1, Start Of Something New was from High School Musical! ****It... Was kinda obvious haha. ****Find the 2 more song lyrics in chapter 4 if you can! xD**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, nor do I own The Hunger Games. **

Rachel and Puck looked on in awe as the sights of the Capitol whizzed past them. Finally, they had arrived. Rachel watched bug-eyed as the citizens of the Capitol milled around, wearing extravagant clothes and sporting weird hair styles and colours. Puck could only think of how well Berdenta would fit in as he intently stared at a dog wearing a tutu. As the train abruptly came to a halt, Berdenta and Shelby emerged from their respective cabins, with the former shooting them hopeful smiles.

"We've arrived," Shelby quickly deadpanned without preamble, her eyes devoid of emotion. _She really is affected by this,_ Puck thought to himself. Grunting, Puck stood up clumsily, knocking into the table in front of him in the process. On the other hand, Rachel's behaviour was a stark contrast to Puck's, as she daintily stood up and ensured her seat was neatly tucked in. _What a waste of time,_ Puck scoffed to himself. _But then again… It is kinda cute._

Stepping out of the train, Puck and Rachel immediately stood rooted to the ground, dumbstruck. Bright lights flashed around them as photographers in crazily designed suits desperately attempted to get good shots of District 12's Tributes for the Games. Before they could even register the chaotic scene in front of them, the two teenagers were hurriedly whisked away into a tall, beautiful building while bulky bodyguards obscured the photographers' views. The building was practically empty, with the exception of the receptionists at the counter.

"Is this…"

"The quarantine area for Tributes, yes," Shelby answered Rachel's question before she had even finished. "Now, I want you two to wait while Berdenta and I confirm the administrative details. If you want, you can check out this place. Just don't go outside and don't mess with any other tributes if you see them! I don't want any more chaos."

Nodding, Rachel and Puck quickly decided to check out the building as Berdenta enthusiastically waved goodbye to them. After all, it was massive. The first floor offered little amenities, as the only important one was the counter. The second floor, however, housed many important rooms that Rachel and Puck knew they would visit in the near future. The Medical Room for District 12 Tributes and Assessment Room were the more significant ones that caught their eyes. Rachel held her gaze at the Assessment Room for a long time. That room. That room would seal her fate for the Games. _Just be mysterious,_ she reminded herself.

"Rach… Look at this…" Puck suddenly murmured.

"What's up?" Rachel replied, snapped out of her thoughts. Her eyes trailed the direction that Puck was staring at, and immediately her mouth dropped in sheer amazement. Right in front of them laid the Hall Of Fame, where the portraits of every previous Victor were pasted up on the walls.

"Woah…" was all Rachel could say. The portraits just seemed so realistic. Each one depicted how the Victor won their Hunger Games. Rachel then had to stifle a giggle, which was completely inappropriate, as she looked at the portrait of April Rhodes screaming in terror, like a huge coward, while her final opponent got killed off. It was weird to find those sorts of portraits in a Hall Of Fame.

"Well, anyways, do you want to move on?" Puck asked gently, having admired the portraits already.

"Hmm, I think I'll just stay here. How about you go on ahead? I'll be around here," Rachel answered, smiling widely. Even though the Games were horrible, and so were majority of the Careers, Rachel knew some Victors deserved respect as they won fair and square.

Grinning, Puck nodded before heading up some stairs to the third floor. There was only one room in the whole floor: The Training Centre. It was then Puck realised why the building seemed so tall. Even though the building had only 9 floors, with the top 6 for Tributes, the Training Centre itself was at least five stories high. _Probably for the tree climbing section, _Puck reasoned. Deciding to take Shelby's advice, Puck chose not to go on to the other Tributes' quarters. Just as he turned around to head back to Rachel, a strong nudge on his shoulder sent him reeling back, someone having pushed past him.

"Hey! Watch it, you-" Puck immediately stopped his jabbering as he met a pair of brown, sunken eyes that seemed to watch his every move. The boy in front of him looked way older than 18 because of his strong physique, but his face had a sense of youth that told Puck he was 18 or younger. _He's… A Tribute?_

"You telling me to watch it? Unless you want to get stuffed in that tree over there before the Games even begin, better get out of my face, Mohawk Boy," the boy coldly replied in a gruff voice, pointing at the trees inside the empty Training Centre and giving Puck a piercing stare that intimidated him more than anything else before. Puck could only gulp as he remembered Shelby's advice not to cause any trouble. The brawny boy laughed as he pushed Puck away one more time and headed to the stairs.

"Weakling! I know I've got prey for the Games already!" the boy's voice echoed around the stairwell, falling on Puck's ears. Rooted to the spot, Puck could only sigh. That boy was a huge threat. A scary one, at that. Maybe even a Career Tribute. Deciding not to waste any more time, Puck headed back down the stairs to where Rachel was still admiring the portraits. Puck quietly moved behind her, only to see her staring at the portrait of Will Schuester.

"He was so kind," Rachel quietly murmured to Puck, sensing his presence.

"Well, not everyone is that kind," Puck quickly replied, recalling his recent encounter.

"What do you mean? Did anything happen? You look a little pale," Rachel remarked, sensing something amiss.

Sighing, Puck quickly recited his close brush with the other Tribute. He became more and more anxious as Rachel's frown grew more obvious.

"Oh my god, Puck, he sounds like a Career Tribute! Now they're going to target you! And what if you get killed immediately when the Games start? I thought we had a chance to win at first, but now-"

"Relax, Rachel!" Puck exclaimed, abruptly cutting off the worried teen. "Sooner or later they would have to target me, right? So it's going to be fine. Okay?"

Although she seemed a little unconvinced, Rachel slowly nodded her head, deciding to trust her friend. Together, the duo headed back down to the first floor, where Shelby and Berdenta had just finished their checking in.

"Alright people! We've got room 12 on the 9th Floor! Let's go!" Berdenta exclaimed, unable to control her excitement. "The Games are nearing… And I don't know why, but I get the feeling that this year's Victor will be from District 12! I just can't wait!" Rachel smiled slightly, but only for the sake of being nice. Puck, however, audibly scoffed at her choice of the word 'Victor'. It reminded him once again, that one of them would have to die. Just great.

"We'll by sharing the corridors of the 9th floor with the group from District 11, by the way," Shelby informed them as they entered a lift. Immediately, Rachel and Puck looked at each other. Maybe they would be able to find some potential allies. Rachel also recalled that District 11's Mentor was Will Schuester. She would actually be able to meet him in person.

Upon reaching the 9th floor, Rachel loudly gasped at the intricate designs of the corridor. The posh lounge… The huge chandelier… Even the lavender carpet! Rachel literally swooned, her feminine nature kicking in. How she wished District 12 had such beautiful buildings as well. However, Berdenta just sighed.

"Such plain designs! I have to give feedback to the manager already," Berdenta grumbled, mumbling on about how her house was more tastefully decorated and earning a death stare from Berry. Together, the troop passed by Room 11 and headed straight to Room 12. As Shelby opened the door, Puck and Rachel looked on in amazement for the third time that day.

"Though the corridors may be boring, the rooms never cease to excite me!" Berdenta announced, but no one really cared. The room looked so much bigger from the inside than the outside. It was something like a maisonette as it also had two floors, but was so much larger. All of this was beyond Rachel's wildest dreams, but all Puck could do was stare at the indoor swimming pool. He finally understood why the building looked like it was twenty stories high. As he prepared to jump in and just forget about his impending doom, Shelby grabbed his collar gently and stopped him.

"No time for games now. We're going to need to discuss some stuff first. Enjoyment later," Shelby sternly told Puck, although deep inside she wished she didn't have to be so harsh on him. Frowning, Puck followed Shelby and gang to a large dining table. As they settled down, Shelby decided that they might as well eat while discussing, as it was lunch time. After calling room service for their first meal, Shelby sat next to Berdenta, opposite the hungry teens.

"Lunch will be served within five minutes. In the meantime, I'd like to go through our itinerary before the Games. We'll have a few notable events... But today will be a day to get used to your new environment. Just settle in, relax and enjoy what is given to you here. I think it would be wise to interact with District 11's tributes though," Shelby suggested. "Tomorrow morning, each of you will head to the medical room for check-ups. Also in the afternoon, the two of you will meet your stylists. They will help to prep you for what will come tomorrow evening: The Chariot Event. Follow your stylists' advice, you'll need it. They will help you get as much attention as possible."

Both Puck and Rachel nodded, wondering what costumes they would wear. Shelby paused for a while to let them digest the information she had just provided, before continuing.

"The following day, you will then start training. This will go on for three days, and then the assessment comes. Before I go on, I wanted to ask, what skills do you two know? And by that, I mean a skill that can be honed during training."

"Strength..." was all Puck could say.

"You do know you can't just rely on strength, right?" Shelby sighed. "Isn't there anything else?"

Puck thought for a moment, recalling the skills taught during the previous Games. No, he just couldn't-

"Oh, I got one!" Puck suddenly answered, his eyes suddenly full of hope. "Camouflage!"

Shelby's eyes widened. "You know how to camouflage?"

"Well... Yeah. Ryder, Azimio and I grew up with camouflage! Whenever we messed with some kid, or played games, we always had to hide when grown-ups or Peacekeepers came! That's when we learned to camouflage. I learned how to use mud, stones and twigs to prevent detection. Even the Peacekeepers couldn't find me!" Puck started to boast, making Berdenta smile as she realized Puck had as much hope as Rachel to maybe just survive the Cornucopia.

"Great! And you, Rachel?" Berdenta asked, grinning.

"I was thinking... Back in District 12, I would always make poison from herbs and plants to trap some animals for food. I've caught birds, squirrels, and I even poisoned a deer once! You do know those are really rare, right?" Rachel smiled, as the three people around her listened in surprise. "So maybe, I could use poison as my ally! Oh, and I am good at observing. Though it's not what you're asking for, Shelby, I am good at analysing. So I think I can give good information about what I've deduced from the other Tributes during training!"

The three people around Rachel just stared at her in amazement. "I didn't know you could poison... So deadly..." Puck murmured.

"In any case, this is really great!" Berdenta piped. "With such skills, you guys can probably make it really far in the Games!"

Shelby nodded in agreement. "I was thinking that you guys would really be a strong duo. I want you to imagine this. Puck, you keep talking about strength, right?" Puck nodded, and she continued. "I think you should focus on swords during training. They can be really powerful, if used well by the strong. Now, this is where Rachel comes in. What would happen if Rachel smears your sword with the poison she makes?"

"A one-hit KO!" Puck realized, extremely excited with where this was leading.

"Exactly! However, I'm quite sure that some poisons will take a while before they kill. In that case, those poisons are perfect to kill fleeing Tributes. While they may get away from you, they won't get away from the poison. So, Rachel, ensure that you know how long it takes before the poison you make kills."

"Wow... We sound powerful." Rachel commented.

"But you guys will be dead the moment the Games begin if you get cocky, or if you think your standard now is up to par with the other Tributes. Because, news flash, you're not up to it at all. At least, not yet. Train, train, train, and you'll be fine. Understand?"

"Yeah."

"Of course."

"Great, then in that case-" Before Berdenta could continue, she was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door. "Oh, hold that thought, lunch is here!" she squealed in a high-pitched voice. A few brown-haired girls then entered the room, smiling sweetly as they placed about 10 trays on the large dining table. Rachel shuddered, as the girls reminded her of possessed, freaky zombies who had no control over their minds. They were just... Too synchronized. On the other hand, Puck immediately began to drool as he looked at the dishes in front of him. Seafood, meat, desserts... All placed on the table right in front of him! And it wasn't just any food; these were the most exquisite, delicious types! Puck couldn't control himself; he immediately piled food onto his plate and began to wolf down everything. Back in the poor District 12, even a piece of bread would have cost a bombshell! Once again, in contrast, Rachel daintily scooped some small portions onto her plate before eating her food with grace.

"Right... Where were we... Oh yes! Well, let me remind you about another thing as well. Do not let the other Tributes know what your strengths are during training. Though I want you to train those specific skills, make sure you don't show off. In fact, try to act dumb," Shelby cautioned, before eating the salad in front of her.

A silence then drifted over them, which was broken from time to time when the sound of cutlery digging into food filled the room. Berdenta was just about to comment on the food when Rachel suddenly asked a question.

"Shelby, what about the interview? You know, with that blue-haired guy?"

"Yes, I was coming to that. It's the last event before the Games, actually. The day after your training assessment, all the Tributes will head over to a place called The Domain. It's just beside the place where the Chariot Event will take place. Lucky for you guys, you're both representing District 12, so you'll be last to be interviewed. Both of you will need to have an image to maintain throughout the interview. We had this conversation in the train remember?" Shelby reminded them.

The duo both nodded their heads in unison, before Shelby continued. "The interview will be held in the evening, which means the morning and afternoon will be filled with Berdenta and I teaching you two basic interview skills such as posture, greetings, and on-the-spot quick thinking. We will also help you two master your 'images'. More than likely, both of us will mentor you separately. So as to say, Rachel will be taught by Berdenta, and Puck will be under me. This makes things much more organised. With that said, I have just fully run through our schedule for the days to come," Shelby slightly smiled, for the first time in a while. "Once you finish your lunches, go ahead and meet District 11 Tributes!"

After nodding his head, Puck continued to gobble up the food on his plate, mind clouded with different thoughts. All of a sudden, a memory flashed through his head. Something he'd completely forgotten all about. It was what Ryder had told him just before they had left for the Games.

_Rachel... She loves you._

Puck swallowed and turned to glimpse at Rachel. There she was, meekly eating her lunch, all innocent and pure-looking. _She's so beautiful, and doesn't deserve all of this at all, _Puck sadly thought to himself. He always had a soft spot for her, and couldn't bear to see her in pain. She was too perfect to him. Suddenly, questions started to pour through his mind like running water.

Was he falling in love with the girl he truly liked since he was 5? Was his previously declared love for Shelby just an excuse to hide from the truth?

The truth... That he was in love with a girl he would have to fight to the death with.

The truth... That he was in love with a girl who loved him back.

Puck actually stopped eating and looked straight at the oblivious Rachel.

_I don't know what to do… I think I'm falling for you._

**Well, how was this one? Leave a review! Also, can you figure out/guess who Puck had met outside the Training Centre, or who District 11's Tributes are gonna be? Hahaha! Lastly, find the song lyrics! There's only one this time round though xP I'll be updating soon! :)**


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